Lost and found
by Golden Seeker 91
Summary: A short story about Jenna and Septimus sat at Aunt Zelda's cottage. Comments etc welcome.
1. Chapter 1

Lost and found

A low moan was the first thing Jenna heard as she awoke in front of the dying fire in Aunt Zelda's cottage. For a couple of moments couldn't remember why she was here, or where here was. She cast her eyes around the dim room. Pale grey light shone through a tiny slip in the curtains illuminating a bright red beanie hat. It all came flooding back, the assassin, the chase, the hunter. Boy 412 was sleeping a little away from Jenna and Nicko, not that Jenna could blame him, she had been so scared herself she had not paused to think how he had felt. Looking at him, asleep near her, he face pinched and grey she felt awful. She had called him and pig and shoved him in a headlock.

"Sorry." She whispered.

She felt too wired to go back to sleep so she wrapped her quilt around her and tip-toed to the door pulling it open silently, hoping that that horrid dream would end and she would open the door to find the usual corridor to the ramblings. Her heart sank as she was greeted to a view of the marshes, stretching as far as she could see.

She felt on top of her head for the circlet Marcia had given her yesterday morning and took it off. This was what had destroyed everything, ruined her birthday, ruined her quiet little family home and her mum and dad and brothers.

Choking back a sudden surge of tears she raised her arm above her head and got ready to throw the circlet into the marshes. She had always been a good throw, indeed Nicko's favourite pair of socks still resided on the castle wall after she had thrown them out of the window after he had done a spell wrong and turned her favourite brown boots bright orange.

Just as she was about to let go a hand caught her wrist. She turned aggressively automatically twisting the arm of the person restraining her. Boy 412 ducked out of the way clutching his wrist, pain and fear flashing across his grey eyes before he dropped his gaze staring glumly at the wooden beams of the porch.

She looked over at him guiltily, she still felt terrible about what had happened yesterday. Looking back on it now she knew he had only acted out of fear. She could relate, she had never, in her whole life been as scared as she was yesterday. Sighing through her nose she walked up to him, resting her hand on his arm.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

Boy 412 just flinched and looked up at her, his eyes dark and scared.

"I shouldn't have treated you the way I did yesterday. I know now that you were scared, and so was I, but there is no excuse for my behaviour. Is your wrist okay?"

Boy 412 just nodded and looked away again. They stood there on the porch together in silence, lost in their own thoughts, staring out at the marshes as the sun slowly rose around them.

Jenna suddenly became aware that boy 412 was shivering beside her. She turned; his lips were a dusty blue. She realised he didn't have his quilt with him. Silently she walked up to him, draping her own quilt over the small boy. His shivering and breathing slowed a little as he slowly warmed up. Jenna, getting cold now, turned toward the door, thinking of the warm fireplace in the living room. Boy 412 turned and grabbed her hand. Jenna turned meeting his sad grey eyes; she caught her breath as he smiled shyly at her, a silent thank you. She felt a rush of warmth toward the boy and smiled back slowly stepping forward to give him a hug, as she did with all her brothers. She felt him tense and stepped back catching the shocked expression on the boys face, she felt herself blushing and told herself to grow up. It was just a boy. As she stepped inside she could not stop herself turning back once more. Boy 412 had turned back to the marshes, he looked small and lonely in the dim light of the early morning and Jenna vowed at that moment to be his friend. No one deserved to be that lost.


	2. Chapter 2 - the port

Chapter 2 –

Septimus was getting frantic now. They had been wondering around the port for hours now. They were apparently going to find Jenna here, but so far they were having no luck. Septemus hated the port. The people, the smell, the noise. It was all too much for him. There were too many distractions for a seeking spell to work. Nicko kept dropping behind and twice Septimus had had to go back for him.

"Keep up!" He hissed the third time this happened.

"Okay Sep, I'm trying" Nicko snapped back. He was getting tired and grumpy, the anxiety in his stomach wasn't helping his mood either.

Septimus' face fell. Nicko sighed. He knew Septimus was worried about Jenna too. It had been an infinitely long two days.

"Sorry Sep." He sighed tiredly. "It's just. Where is she Sep?"

Septimus caught the desperation in Nicko's question. He broke away from the mass of people and leaned against the damp wall of the alley. He shut his eyes tight, calling up a picture of Jenna in his mind. He drew the green rock Jenna had given him last year and held it close. Although it wasn't technically hers he prayed it had enough of her DNA on it to make a connetion.

"Sep, what you doing? You oka…."

Nicki broke off when he saw the purple mist envelop his brother. His hair on his neck and arms stood straight up. He shivered. Septemis was doing some powerful Magyk.

Suddenly the mist evaporated. Septemus gritted his teeth and sent his fist flying into the wall of the alley.

"It won't work! I still can't find her!"

He went pale then. His eyes flickered and he stumbled sideways. Nicko caught him, easing him gently to the gound before sitting next to him. He gave Septimus a few minutes then turned to him. His eyes were still closed and his skin was clammy.

"Sep? You okay?"

Septimus cracked open one eye and nodded weekly.

"Sorry" he said breathlessly. "That spell always takes it out of me. And it didn't even work."

He closed his eyes again so Nicko couldn't see how close he was to crying.

"We will find her Sep. We will."

Septimus opened his eyes and looked at Nicko, his usually bright green eyes were dark.

"We have been looking for hours Nik. Even if she is here in the port she's no safer than she was with Simon."

"We'll just have to keep looking then. When Jen and Marcia found you you have been missing for hours, buried under a foot of snow! And it took us 10 years but we finally found our brother."

Septimus' face hardened.

"You're right. Come on Nik, we have to find her!"

Septimus jumped to his feet offering a hand to Nicko. Nicko grinned and pulled himself to his feet. Septimus yelped and clutched his hand, the knuckles were raw and bleeding where they had made contact with rough wall.

"Come on. First one to see her wins a frizz fruit."

Nicko eyed him suspiciously.

"What flavour?"

"Banana and Haddock of course!" Septimus said, grinning at the look on Nicko's face.

"You're okay thanks Sep." Laughing as they made their way back into the busy streets.

"Hey! He yelled suddenly, "Want to go to the circus?"

"No thanks! Becides Morwenna told us not to."

Suddenly Septimus froze. Nicko walked into him and grabbed Septimus' hand to stop himself falling. Septimus yelped again.

Nicko winced. "Sorry Sep. What's up?" he asked squinting into the dim street.

Septimus didn't answer. He had just heard someone, someone he knew.

"Sep?"

"Shush Nik. I think I heard Jen!"

And suddenly she was there. Looking tired and drawn and lost, so very lost. He stared at her, hardly daring to believe it.

Jenna felt someone staring at her. She turned around and found herself looking at Septimus.

"Sep?" Oh Sep! It is you!" She yelled as she ran towards him.

Septimus caught her and hugged her tightly not wanting to let go.

"Jen! Jen you're okay!"

He felt her shvering against him and squeezed her tighter.

"Oh Sep, thank goodness you found me."

Septimus took her shoulders gently and turned her to face him. His eyes were bright again when he met her violet ones.

"You found me last year, I owed you, for so much. I will always find you, no matter what happens"

Jenna nodded and managed a week smile. Nicko waved and clicked his fingers under her nose.

"Hey, what's this about? Your favourite brother doesn't get a hug?"

Jenna grinned for the first time in two days and Nicko spun her around in a hug, the way he always used to.

Jenna squealed with laughter and Septimus smiled as he watched them. Jenna looked much better now, much more like the Jenna he knew.

She caught him staring and poked her tongue out at him playfully.

Septimus grinned. Yeah, much better. He sighed with relief. No one deserved to be that lost.


End file.
